Toyota Motor Corporation and its software subsidiary, Woven by Toyota, Inc., announced a suite of new artificial intelligence technologies on April 22, 2026, centered on the Woven City AI Vision Engine. This large-scale AI foundation model is designed to serve as the primary cognitive layer for Woven City, Toyota’s living laboratory located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture. The unveiling marks a significant technical milestone following the city’s official operational launch in September 2025.
The Woven City AI Vision Engine is a multimodal vision-language model capable of processing and synthesizing visual, behavioral, and environmental data in real time. According to technical specifications released alongside the announcement, the engine—currently at version v1.0.5-alpha—is deployed via Amazon SageMaker. It enables the city’s infrastructure to interpret camera feeds, mobility system logs, and user inputs to identify safety risks and coordinate automated responses. The model supports spatial-temporal reasoning, allowing it to analyze movement patterns across both text and video interfaces.
Integrated with the Vision Engine is the newly introduced Woven City Integrated ANZEN System. This safety-focused framework combines the foundation model with two specialized subsystems: Woven City Behavior AI and Woven City Drive Sync Assist. Behavior AI is engineered to predict human movement patterns to prevent collisions, while Drive Sync Assist provides real-time data overlays to vehicles and pedestrians. These systems are supported by the Woven City Infra Hub, a unified data platform, and the Woven City Data Fabric, which manages data utilization and privacy protocols for the city’s residents, known as Weavers.
In addition to the software reveals, Toyota confirmed that the Woven City Inventor Garage has officially commenced operations as of April 2026. The facility serves as a research and development hub where external partners, or Inventors, can prototype and test mobility solutions. Four new companies joined the ecosystem today, bringing the total number of corporate Inventors to 24. Notable participants include Joby Aviation, Inc. and DAIICHIKO SHO CO., LTD. A proof-of-concept project using the AI Vision Engine is already underway with UCC Japan Co., Ltd.
Woven City’s Phase 1 construction was completed in late 2024, with the first group of residents moving in during the fall of 2025. The current population includes Toyota employees and their families, with plans to expand to approximately 2,000 residents as subsequent phases are completed. Toyota also noted that the final pitch for the Woven City Challenge accelerator program is scheduled for April 23, 2026. Additionally, the company showcased Akio Toyoda AI, a virtual avatar of the Toyota Chairman designed to facilitate resident interaction with city projects.